Brainard, John Gardiner Calkins (1796-1828). Studied law, but on being called to the bar he forsook his profession for that of editor of a weekly paper. He wrote a number of ballads, and his “Sonnet to a Sea-Serpent” is humorous.
Brougham, John, born in Dublin, 1810; died in America, 1880. A prolific writer of comedies and farces, and was editor and proprietor of the Lantern, a comic paper published in 1852. Two collections of his writings have appeared, A Basket of Chips and The Bunsby Papers.
Browne, Charles Farrar (1834-1867), “Artemus Ward.” When fifteen years old he contributed comic articles to the Carpet Bag, a Boston weekly. Subsequently he secured the situation of reporter on the Cleveland Plaindealer, a paper of good standing, and while acting in that position commenced his showman articles. The first of these were written in a careless style, more as a “fill up” than anything else, but finding that they met with extraordinary success Mr. Browne began taking greater pains with them, and the result is a series of as clever and humorous articles as America has produced. He was a successful lecturer, and in this capacity visited England in 1866, but his health, which had long been failing, became so poor that he was forced to cancel engagements. He died in Southampton, England.
Browne, John Ross (1817-1875), author of Yusef, American Family in Germany, Land of Thor, and other records of his travels in Europe, well worth reading. He was a great traveller, visiting every quarter of the globe, and his pen was never idle.
Bunner, Henry Cuyler (1885), present editor of Puck (1892). He is a writer of graceful verse and short stories, which are overflowing with refined humour. Airs from Arcady, a volume of short verse, Short Sixes and The Zodac Pines, volumes of short stories, and A Woman of Honour, a novel, are his principal published works. He is one of the best of the many brilliant short-story writers America of to-day possesses. Charles Scribner’s Sons and Ogilvie & Co., publishers, America.
Burbank, “Major,” editor New Orleans Piccayune, a humorous writer and lecturer.
Burdette, Robert Jones (1844), first attracted attention by his humorous articles to the Burlington Hawkeye. These sketches have been collected and published in book form under the titles of The Rise and Fall of the Moustache, Hawkeyes, Sumach Garden, and other comic sketches. His humour is of the evanescent quality, and suited better to the columns of a daily or weekly paper than to publication in book form.
Burton, William Evans, born in England, 1804; died in America, 1860. In 1834 he emigrated to America, and for a time was the leader of the dramatic profession in America. In 1858 he published the Cyclopædia of Wit and Humour (2 vols.).
Butler, William Allen, born 1825. A lawyer of New York who has been a frequent contributor to the periodical literature of the country. His Nothing to Wear, first published in 1857, is to be found in most collections of American humour.
Byles, Dr. Mather (1707-1788), more famous for his jokes in conversation and in the pulpit than for his writings.